QiLifeBlood Stasis 血瘀
Blood stasis describes circulation that has slowed or become obstructed — dark complexion, fixed pain and a purple or dark tongue.
Pinyin: Xue Yu · updated
Blood stasis means blood is not moving freely — locally stuck, or generally sluggish. In Chinese medicine it is the most fixed of the patterns: Qi stagnation moves and changes, blood stasis settles in one place and stays there. That is why its pain is described as sharp and fixed rather than shifting.
The visible signs are what make this pattern unusually easy to notice: a dusky complexion, persistent dark circles, bruising without a clear cause, purple or mottled lips and tongue. Any one of these is a clue; several together point clearly to circulation being the issue.
Movement is again the primary lever, and here it is specifically circulation-building: sustained walking, swimming, or anything that raises the pulse in a regular way. Warming the extremities matters more than in most patterns, since cold is what slows circulation.
Signs that suggest this pattern
No single sign establishes a pattern — Chinese medicine reads combinations, not isolated symptoms. If several of these are familiar and have been for a while, it is worth running the TCM Body Constitution Test to see what the combination scores.
- A dull, dark or sallow complexion
- Dark circles that do not shift with sleep
- Pain that is fixed, sharp or stabbing rather than shifting
- Purple, dusky or mottled tongue colour
- Visible spider veins or bruising easily
- Painful or clotted periods
Acupoints used for this pattern (2)
Every point below opens the full library entry, including location, technique, frequency and the cautions attached to it.
SP10 · Xuehai
The sea of blood. Traditionally used for poor circulation, bruising, dull complexion and menstrual irregularity.
Spleen meridian
BL17 · Geshu
The blood's influential point. Traditionally used for blood stasis, fixed pain and dull skin tone.
Bladder meridian
Foods listed against this pattern (6)
Nature and flavour are the traditional classification. Read the avoid note before changing anything you eat regularly.
Hawthorn
Moves blood and helps digest heavy, greasy food. Used for food stagnation and stasis.
Warm · Sour, sweet
Spinach
Nourishes blood and moistens the intestines. Traditionally used for dry stool and a pale complexion.
Cool · Sweet
Rose bud
Moves stuck Liver Qi and lifts a low mood, while gently moving blood.
Warm · Sweet, slightly bitter
Turmeric
Moves blood and breaks stasis. Traditionally used for fixed, stabbing pain and stiff joints.
Warm · Pungent, bitter
Black fungus
Nourishes blood and gently moves it. Traditionally used for dry stool and sluggish circulation.
Neutral · Sweet
Peach kernel
Moves blood and breaks stasis. Traditionally used for fixed pain and dry stool.
Neutral · Bitter, sweet
Tea formulas listed against this pattern (1)
These are traditional reference formulas. Doses shown are traditional reference amounts, not a prescription — check with a qualified practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, on medication, or managing a condition.
Which assessment identifies this pattern
TCM Body Constitution Test
Nine types, 27 questions, about five minutes. No email, no sign-up — you get the result immediately and an explanation of what it means.
TCM Symptom Pattern Decoder
Twenty-eight questions across eight patterns, ranked by fit rather than a single verdict. Free, no email, results you can act on.
Patterns that often appear alongside this one
Qi Obstruction
When Qi stagnation persists long enough it impedes the blood, and the two together produce fixed pain and obstructed circulation.
Liver
The Liver governs free coursing — the smooth movement of Qi throughout the body — and stores blood between uses.
Yin Deficiency
Yin deficiency is insufficient cooling, moistening fluid — you run warm and dry, and rest does not fully restore you.
Related vocabulary
Search terms this page covers: blood stasis, poor circulation, dark circles, sharp pain, purple tongue, period pain.